


Feet on the Ground

by actuallylailah



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Nerds in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-11-02 01:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20575760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actuallylailah/pseuds/actuallylailah
Summary: A late-night, a sleepy pilot, and a sky full of stars.





	Feet on the Ground

There was a dull, consistent humming that hung in the air. Perhaps coming from the fridge. Cid hadn’t noticed just how loud it was until he was staring down the mental break in his work. The blueprints stared back and the carefully plotted lines began to meld and flex across the paper. None of it made any goddamn sense anymore.

“Fuck!” Cid threw his pen and when he didn’t hear the satisfying plink against the wall, he turned to see Reeve holding it.

“Trouble?” Reeve glanced down to what he was working on.

Cid exhaled and pushed away from his desk. One hand reached for his pack of cigarettes only to find the carton empty. He threw it to the floor, but it wasn’t the click he liked to hear. “Just goddamn peachy.” 

“Why don’t you take a break.” It wasn’t a question. Reeve grabbed him by the arm, gentle but firm, and led the pilot into the kitchen. Cid followed, complying as Reeve sat him in a chair. He watched Reeve set two mugs of tea in front of them and then take the seat next to him.

They’d been together for a while now, still in those early stages of figuring things out but comfortable enough that a late-night conversation flowed easy enough between them. Their rhythms matched, and really they always had. It just took a bit to get their noses out of the finer details to see the bigger picture: the lingering emotions that ran between them like electricity.

They talked for a bit, about nothing in particular, but sitting close enough that the warmth from each other was a buffer against the midnight chill. The humming of the fridge faded to be replaced by the lull of Reeve’s voice as he talked about some WRO plan or another. Cid found his eyelids growing heavy and the next thing he knew, he was waking moments later with his head on Reeve’s shoulder. He groaned and leaned back, one hand rubbing at his muscles.

“Sorry,” Reeve started, an amused lilt to his tone. “You seemed like you needed the sleep.”

“Fuck, probably, but damn… My back ain’t made for that shit.”

“After seeing that couch you sleep on, I’m not surprised it’s like that.”

“What’s wrong with my bed?” Cid looked up in mild offense.

“Couch.” Reeve repeated. “That’s a couch. It’s not even a pull-out.”

“And it’s damn comfortable.”

“Your back doesn’t seem to agree with that sentiment.”

“Ah, fuck it.” Cid waved him off. Yeah, the couch should probably go.

Reeve leaned back with an amused smile and sipped his tea. “How about some sleep in a proper bed?”

“You got one hiding somewhere?”

“I told you I booked a room at the inn. Come back with me.” Cid’s place was every bit a bachelor pad even if the man himself wasn’t one anymore. Or maybe it would be more accurate to call it a workshop.

A lazy, past-midnight grin slinked across Cid’s face. “Is that an offer?”

“For some proper sleep.” Reeve laughed. “I don’t think you can do anything in this state.”

“Don’t tempt me.” Cid pointed at him then finished his tea. “Yeah, shit, let’s get some sleep.”

Outside, crisp, chill air snapped Cid’s senses to attention, hair standing on end and his eyes widening. Reeve walked at his side, eyes wary of where the other stepped lest Cid found himself stumbling in the dark. Which he did, more than once, until his arm found itself around Reeve’s shoulder and Reeve supported him in turn. Instead of looking where he was going, Cid’s eyes were fixed firmly skyward.

“Ain’t it fuckin’ beautiful?”

Reeve’s eyes followed. “It is.”

Unlike Midgar, where the Plate and smog obscured any hint of the stars, the night sky stretched out endlessly above Rocket Town. Their pace slowed to a crawl and he felt Cid inhale deeply. 

Nothing was said for a moment. Both men stared skyward, but Reeve found himself glancing at Cid more than once and thought he saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Regret? Longing?

“Do you want to go back up?”

Cid’s eyes finally met Reeve’s. “Even if I could… Nah, I got plenty of reasons to keep my feet on the ground for a while.”

“Until the sky calls you.” It was Cid’s little expression, the sky calling to him, urging him to soar through clouds and feel the wind in his hair. The Highwind may be bigger but it didn’t give the same experience the Tiny Bronco had.

In response, Cid’s arm curled tighter around Reeve, drawing him in until they could feel each other’s breath fanning across their lips. “Got somethin’ else callin’ to me right now.” 

It was a slow and steady kiss. Cid seemed intent on leaning into him and Reeve held his jaw in place, though only a few seconds later he gave up and slid his hand into Cid's blond hair and held him there. A musk of oil and metal filled his nostrils, familiar comforts to the both of them, almost like he was home. Their kiss broke, but neither moved. They only turned their heads to fit their lips together again in a different manner. 

“Mmmm,” Cid hummed and Reeve felt the vibrations of his voice down to his core. “I said don’t tempt me.” Reeve both felt Cid’s grin and heard it in his tone. He laughed. 

“Yet when we get to the bed, it’ll be lights out right when your head hits the pillow. I’ve seen it.”

“Yeah, so shut up and let me kiss you now.”

So he did.


End file.
